Sectional bookcase.



' No, 638,381. Patented Dec. 5, I899. J. L. DAVlDSON.

SECTIONAL BOOKGASE (Application filed Aug. 24, 1899.)

3 Sheets-Sheet l.

Patented Dec. 5, i899.

J. L. DAVIDSON. SECTIUNAL BOOKCASE. (Application filed Aug. 24, 1899.)

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No. 638,38! Patented Dec.5, I899.

J. L. DAVIDSON. SECTIO NAL BOOKCASB Application fllgq Aug. 24, 1899.) (No Model.)

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JAMES L. DAVIDSON, or PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA. ,gf

SECTIONAL BOOKCASE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 638,381, dated December 5, 899- Applioation filed August 24,1899. Serial No. 728,294. (No model.)

To all whom it may cancer/u.

Be it known that I, JAMES L. DAVIDSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Torrace' street, Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sectional Bookcases; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to cases such as are used for holding books and other articles and has especial reference to that class of cases known to the trade as sectional or separable cases; and it consists in certain improvements in construction whereby the sections can be shipped as knockdown sections and set up by unskilled labor wherever they may be used, as will be fully disclosed in th following specification and claims.

In the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification, Figure 1 is a perspective of two sections of my improved caseassembled; Fig. 2, a vertical transverse section on an enlarged scale; Fig. 3, a perspective of a section; Fig. 4, a like View of thebottom of a section forming a shelf in the case when the. sections are assembled; Fig. 5, a like view of one of the metallic locking-bars on each end of the bottom; Fig. 6, a plan view, partly in section, showing one end of the bottom in position and secured to the side of the section; Fig. 7, an enlarged perspective of a section of the front or door, showing part of one end, part of the upper edge, and the hook on the end; and Fig. 8, adetail of amodification of the locking device on the ends of each bottom and on the sides of the sections.

Referende being had to the drawings and the letters thereon, A indicates the sections of which the case is composed and of which there may be any desired number, according to the height of case desired. Each section is provided with sides B, a back 0, and a front D,which forms a door. The sides are rabbeted at a at the lower end to receive the bottom E, and this portion of the sides below the bottom extends down into the adjacent section to a depth equal to the thickness of the front or door of said section, while the upper end of the door and the upper end of the back 0 of each section extend above the upper end of the sides of the sections, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, thus breaking joints by overlapping and adding strength to the structure and preventing one section being moved upon the other. In the face of the rabbet a are recesses 19 I), having vertical pins 0 c, which are engaged by hooks d don a bar 6 on each end of the bottom E to secure the sides Bto the bottom by interlocking the hooks with the pins. The hooks d are in the plane of the bottom and project at a right angle to the face of the bar 6. To enter the hooks, they are inserted in the recesses Z7 b in rear of the pins 0 and the bottom pushed forward from the rear of the section, when the incline on the inner surface of the hooks will draw the sides tight against the ends of the bottom and lock them in position.

The hare is made of angle-iron by cutting the hooks out of one side of the iron by a suitable die.

In Fig. 9 I have shown a modification of the locking device in which a bar f is provided with pins g g, tapering from their outer ends inward and engage with slots h It in a bar 2', secured to the sides E.

Below the rabbet a and in rear thereof is a tongue 70 to engage a groove Z in the upper lower end of the side of an adjacent sectionto prevent displacement of the sections and exclude dust through the joint formed at this point between two sections. The upper end of the sides is provided with a rabbet. m for thehook s of the front or door D to slide in as the door is being pushed back into the case or section horizontally, and on the rear edge of the sides is a rabbet o to receive the back 0 and on the front edge is a rabbet 10 to receive the front or door D. the back of one section and the lower end of the back of the adjacent section meet on the rear edge of the bottom E, the former back being secured to the bottom and the upper end of the door of one section and the lower end of the door of the adjacent section overlap each other to break joints, conceal the shelf or bottom and the joint between the sections on the front of the case, and exclude dust, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

The upper end of ICO To enable the front or door D of each section to swing up into horizontal position, the bottom E does not extend quite to the front and is cut away ornamentally at g on its under side to present a neat finish when the case is open and to allow the upper end of the door to pass it without interfering.

Across the front and at the upper end of each section A is secured a bar 1", which braces the sides B and prevents them separating and also supports the front or door D, which is provided with a hook s at each end, which engages the bar when the door is closed orin vertical position, while the door rests upon the bar when open or in horizontal position, as shown in Fig. 2. The ends of the bar 1" are split at a and a projection Z2 formed on the front edge of the bar, which is engaged by a shoulder c on the hook s to throw the door out of engagement with the front edge of the bar when it is closed.

The case may be provided with a suitable base F, and a cornice or top (not shown) may be supplied of any ornate design desired.

By the construction shown and described no unsightly shelves formed by the bottoms of the sections mar the beauty of the front and the case has the appearance of a continuous structure after the sections have been assembled and the joints between the sections overlap and exclude dust.

Having thus fully described my invention, What I claim is 1. A case for books or other articles composed of a plurality of knockdown sections, the sides of each section having rabbets at the upper and lower ends, extending down into the adjacent section and resting upon the upper end'of the sides thereof, a door on the lower section having hooks on its ends and sliding horizontally between the extensions of the sides of the upper section and secured against lateral displacement by said hooks engaging the rabbets in the upper end of the sides of the lower section, a bottom secured in the rabbets in the lower end of the sides of each section, and a back on each section extending above the sides thereof.

2. A case for books or other articles composed of knockdown sections, the sides of each section having a tongue on one end and a groove in the opposite end, extendingdow into the adjacent section and resting upon th upper end of the sides thereof and secure against lateral displacement by the tongue it one, andthe groove in the other adjacent end of the sides, a transverse'bar crossing the se tion and connecting the sides at the upp and front end thereof, a door engaging sai' bar, extending above the sides of the sectio tending down beyond the bottom, and said bottom of a width less than the width of the section, a door extending above the sides and in front of the bottom of each section in closedposition, and sliding horizontally in the rabbets and between the extensions of the sides of the upper section to open position, and a back on each section extending above the sides thereof.

4. A case for books or other articles, composed of a plurality of sections having bottoms or shelves of a width less than the width of the sections and cut away at the under side of the front edge of the bottom, a door supported to swing under said cut-away portion, a support for the door and upon which the door swings, sides separate from. the bottom and extending below the upper edge of the doors, and a suitable back.

5. A case for books or other articles, hav-[I ing a door-supporting bar provided with lateral extensions at each end; in combination with a door provided with hooks at each end, said hooks having shoulders engaging the extensions on the supporting-bar.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES L. DAVIDSON.

Witnesses:

WM. J. Pos'r, C. L. STEVENS. 

